Recent Examples on the Web
Isaiah Jackson makes case With Turner and Smith both out, Isaiah Jackson got the bulk of the minutes at center.
—
Dustin Dopirak, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Apr. 2023
Commission Chair Steven Pumphrey announced at the start of the meeting that the developers of Tealwood Estates, Mill Creek Subdivision, Phase I, and Gaineswood Subdivision all requested that their cases be tabled until the May meeting.
—Margaret Kates | Mkates@al.com, al, 8 Apr. 2023
Trump himself has made that case, boasting about an $8 million fundraising haul since the indictment.
—Haisten Willis, Washington Examiner, 7 Apr. 2023
Both sides made their cases to Kacsmaryk on March 15 during a four-hour hearing that focused on the technical aspects of federal drug regulation and FDA processes.
—Perry Stein, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2023
Jackson was angry at the judges over rulings in his Lake County divorce case and made threats during an October 2021 call to the sheriff’s office, authorities said.
—Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2023
The Biden administration has not yet formally classified the reporter as wrongfully detained, a designation that would transfer his case to the Office of the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs—effectively, the U.S.’ chief hostage negotiator.
—Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2023
Running Fox: Emails that lawyers for Dominion have used to build their defamation case give a peek into how Rupert Murdoch shapes coverage at his news organizations.
—Stuart A. Thompson, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2023
Late last month, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew made his case to Congress about why the app shouldn’t be banned.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2023
The launch edition of the Odysseus Chronograph, cased in steel with a black dial, is limited to just 100 pieces.
—WIRED, 29 Mar. 2023
Too small, and you’ll be squished into a sausage casing that digs into your sides.
—Rena Behar, Travel + Leisure, 27 Mar. 2023
Investigators believe an adult unintentionally brought the shell casing to Silver Lake Regional Middle School within their belongings, said Kingston Police Sergeant Zachary Potrykus.
—Claire Law, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Mar. 2023
The court cases about it, which have been kicking around for a long time now, will likely be moot.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2023
If someone is detected casing out your vehicle the CarCam gives you time to act.
—Hunter Fenollol, Popular Mechanics, 22 Feb. 2023
However, that’s not to case with these new earbuds.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 19 May 2021
This snow will case travel issues and potentially power outages across the region over the next few days.
—Paul Douglas, Star Tribune, 25 Jan. 2021
Housed in a Gorilla Glass Victus casing, the Pixel 7 is not only durable, but meets the IP68 rating for dust and water ingress.
—Stephanie Mlot, PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘case.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
In either case, the blood will reflow upon the heart, and dilate the left ventricle, as in _case the first_, and others; and, if the mitral valves be thickened and rigid, the left auricle will be more dilated than in a case of simple aneurism of the left ventricle, as appeared also in the _first case_. ❋ John Collins Warren (1817)
Evidence and economic theory suggests that control of the Internet by the phone and cable companies would lead to blocking of competing technologies (as in theMadison River case), blocking of innovative technologiesthat may not even compete with the phone/cablecartel (according to Comcast itself, theComcast/BitTorrent case would be an example), andincreased spying on Internet users. ❋ Marvin Ammori (2010)
So, when we place a noun before a verb as actor or subject, we say it is in the _nominative case_; but when it follows a transitive verb or preposition, we say it has another _case_; that is, it assumes a new _position_ or _situation_ in the sentence: and this we call the _objective_ case. ❋ Samuel Kirkham (N/A)
+_Remember_+ that a noun or pronoun used as an _explanatory modifier_ is in the same case as the word which it explains, and that a noun or pronoun used _independently_ is in the _nominative case_. ❋ Brainerd Kellogg (N/A)
If it be case (I choose it as Jargons dearest childin Heaven yclept Metonomy) turn to the dictionary, if you will, and seek out what meaning can be derived from casus, its Latin ancestor: then try how, with a little trouble, you can extricate yourself from that case. ❋ Unknown (1916)
It says In the case of John Jenkins deceased, the coffin when it means John Jenkinss coffin: and its yea is not yea, neither is its nay nay: but its answer is in the affirmative or in the negative, as the foolish and superfluous case may be. ❋ Unknown (1916)
But here are a few specimens far, very far, worse: The special difficulty in Professor Minocelsis case [our old friend case again] arose in connexion with the view he holds relative to the historical value of the opening pages of Genesis. ❋ Unknown (1916)
It cannot be too emphatically insisted upon that every case of typhoid, like every case of yellow fever and of malaria, _comes from a previous case_. ❋ Woods Hutchinson (1896)
It reaches _the case, the question_; it attaches the power of the national judicature to the _case_ itself, in whatever court it may arise or exist; and in this _case_ the Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over all courts whatever. ❋ Daniel Webster (1817)
A Whig proves his case convincingly to the reader who knows nothing beyond his author; then comes an old Tory (Carte, for instance), and ferrets up a hamperful of conflicting documents and notices, which proves _his _case _per contra_. ❋ Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1803)
If, in any case, we are to _presume_ the existence of insanity; if, in any case, we are led to believe the thing _without positive proof_; if, in any case, there can be an apology in human nature itself, for such an act; _this was that case_. ❋ William Cobbett (1799)
’41b CASES IN THE EXCHBaU£» tend beyond dilatories; but it rather appears by the other cases that this expression isonly intended to shew, that a plea to the jurisdiction was the principal case there referred to, without mean — ing to limit the rule to that case* ❋ Unknown (1796)
I’m assuming this isn’t possible, but just in case: is it possible to upgrade for x86 Vista to x64 Win7 RC or do I have to do a clean install? ❋ Unknown (2009)
He said the Benin case is different, because the man who stole the money could not pay its members and this is not the case with REDEMARE. Economic analyst, Noouroudine Mensa, said the company was taking advantage of Togolese citizens. ❋ Unknown (2010)
The Wisconsin case is only the latest in a grim procession of hundreds of such cases stretching back to the late 1800s in England, when a sect called the Peculiar People ended up on trial for allowing generations of children to die as a result of their decision to spurn doctors and medicine. ❋ Unknown (2009)
«Unconventional» in this case is code for believing the dangerous idea that government should promote life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. ❋ Unknown (2008)
I guess just having what you need, just in case, is the ticket. ❋ Unknown (2006)
«Lets go case the house first so [we know] the easiest and quietest way to [break in].»
«Can you pick up [a case] on the way here?» ❋ Edgar Friendly (2004)
Person 1: I got a case of beer, eh.
Person 2: What a bonus! When you said ‘case‘ I forgot that you are from [Halifax]. Your East coast hospitality is appreciated.
Person 1: It’s a [hoppy] ale, kind of bitter, I hope that’s OK.
Person 2: Sounds good to me. The mere fact that it’s not ‘lite’ beer assures me that you are worthy to drink with. People who drink ‘lite’ beer should be shot and pissed on.
Person 1: [Fuckin’ rights], eh. Bottom line is there’s 24 of ’em. ❋ Arsehat1972 (2007)
[The distance] between [Edmonton] and [Prince George] is about a case of beer ❋ Arsehat1972 (2007)
[Shit man], Mike was a little [too keen] and [overshot the landing] and fell 20ft to flat. He gonna need a lawyer for that case. ❋ Coinage (2006)
Why [are you] [all up] in my case? ❋ Number25 (2005)
Dude, [check out] [the case] ass on [that chick]. ❋ Establishment (2010)
Yo I think it’s case for the [Yankees] tonight.
You sure [about that]?
Nah they are definitely [losing] ❋ Real_deal_steel_69 (2020)
1.I picked up a case of [Miller Lite] for the party.
2. Loser: I picked up a 30-case of beer for the game tonight.
[Normal Person]: Dude, you mean you got a 30-PACK for the game.
Loser: [No dude], it’s a 30-case.
Normal Person: You’re a fag. A case is 24 cans of beer; NOT 6, 12, 18, or 30! ❋ Dave (2005)
1. [Casing] my 1TB [hard drive] that failed on day 10 has saved me many days— maybe weeks— that would normally be spent on trying to get a replacement through [warranty] work.
2. The cheapest way to get a blue-ray drive is to case it with an old 52x. ❋ Tomsnafu (2009)
Three people [folded] [aces], so I needed the case [ace]. ❋ Heather Clemens (2007)
casing
n
1 a protective case or cover
2 material for a case or cover
3 (Also called)
case a frame containing a door, window, or staircase
4 the intestines of cattle, pigs, etc., or a synthetic substitute, used as a container for sausage meat
5 the outer cover of a pneumatic tyre
6 a pipe or tube used to line a hole or shaft
7 the outer shell of a steam or gas turbine
attaché case
n a small flat rectangular briefcase used for carrying documents, papers, etc.
basket case
n
Slang
1 (Chiefly U.S. and Canadian) a person who has had both arms and both legs amputated
2 a person who is suffering from extreme nervous strain; nervous wreck
a someone or something that is incapable of functioning normally
b (as modifier)
a basket-case economy
case [1]
n
1 a single instance, occurrence, or example of something
2 an instance of disease, injury, hardship, etc.
3 a question or matter for discussion
the case before the committee
4 a specific condition or state of affairs; situation
5 a set of arguments supporting a particular action, cause, etc.
a a person attended or served by a doctor, social worker, solicitor, etc.; patient or client
b (as modifier)
a case study
a an action or suit at law or something that forms sufficient grounds for bringing an action
he has a good case
b the evidence offered in court to support a claim
a a set of grammatical categories of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, marked by inflection in some languages, indicating the relation of the noun, adjective, or pronoun to other words in the sentence
b any one of these categories
the nominative case
9 Informal a person in or regarded as being in a specified condition
the accident victim was a hospital case, he’s a mental case
10 Informal a person of a specified character (esp. in the phrase a hard case)
11 Informal an odd person; eccentric
12 (U.S.)
informal love or infatuation
13 short for →
case shot
See →
canister →
2b
14 ♦
as the case may be according to the circumstances
15 ♦
in any case adv no matter what; anyhow
we will go in any case
a in order to allow for eventualities
b as conj in order to allow for the possibility that
take your coat in case it rains
17 ♦
in case of prep in the event of
18 ♦
in no case adv under no circumstances
in no case should you fight back
(Old English casus (grammatical) case, associated also with Old French cas a happening; both from Latin casus, a befalling, occurrence, from cadere to fall)
case [2]
n
a a container, such as a box or chest
b (in combination)
suitcase, briefcase
2 an outer cover or sheath, esp. for a watch
3 a receptacle and its contents
a case of ammunition
4 a pair or brace, esp. of pistols
5 (Architect) another word for →
casing →
3
6 a completed cover ready to be fastened to a book to form its binding
7 (Printing) a tray divided into many compartments in which a compositor keeps individual metal types of a particular size and style. Cases were originally used in pairs, one (the upper case) for capitals, the other (the lower case) for small letters
8 (Metallurgy) the surface of a piece of steel that has been case-hardened
vb tr
9 to put into or cover with a case
to case the machinery
10 Slang to inspect carefully (esp. a place to be robbed)
(C13: from Old French casse, from Latin capsa, from capere to take, hold)
case grammar
n (Linguistics) a system of grammatical description based on the functional relations that noun groups have to the main verb of a sentence
Compare →
systemic grammar →
transformational grammar
case-harden
vb tr
1 (Metallurgy) to form a hard surface layer of high carbon content on (a steel component) by heating in a carburizing environment with subsequent quenching or heat treatment
2 to harden the spirit or disposition of; make callous
experience had case-hardened the judge
case history
n a record of a person’s background, medical history, etc., esp. one used for determining medical treatment
case knife
n another name for →
sheath knife
case law
n law established by following judicial decisions given in earlier cases
Compare →
statute law
See also →
precedent →
1
case shot
n another name for →
canister →
2b
case stated
n (Law) a statement of the facts of a case prepared by one court for the opinion or judgment of another court, (Also called)
stated case
case study
n the act or an instance of analysing one or more particular cases or case histories with a view to making generalizations
cot case
n (Austral. and N.Z.)
1 a person confined to bed through illness
2 Humorous a person who is incapacitated by drink
dispatch case
n a case used for carrying papers, documents, books, etc., usually flat and stiff
dressing case
n (esp. formerly) a box or case fitted with all the toilet articles necessary for dressing oneself, arranging one’s hair, etc.
index case
n (Med) the first case of a disease
lower case
n
1 a compositor’s type case, in which the small letters are kept
adj
♦
lower-case
2 of or relating to small letters
vb
♦
lower-case
3 tr to print with lower-case letters
special case
n (Law) an agreed written statement of facts submitted by litigants to a court for a decision on a point of law
spore case
n the nontechnical name for →
sporangium
stated case
n another term for →
case stated
test case
n a legal action that serves as a precedent in deciding similar succeeding cases
upper case (Printing)
n
1 the top half of a compositor’s type case in which capital letters, reference marks, and accents are kept
adj upper-casewhen prenominal
2 of or relating to capital letters kept in this case and used in the setting or production of printed or typed matter
vb
♦
upper-case
3 tr to print with upper-case letters; capitalize
wardian case
n a type of glass container used for housing delicate ferns and similar plants
(C19: named after N. B. Ward (died 1868), English botanist)
wing-case
n the nontechnical name for →
elytron
worst case
n
a a situation in which the most unfavourable conditions prevail
b (as modifier)
a worst-case projection of a massive accident
writing case
n a portable folder with compartments for holding writing materials
- Top Definitions
- Quiz
- Related Content
- More About Case
- Examples
- British
- Cultural
- Idioms And Phrases
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
noun
an instance of the occurrence, existence, etc., of something: Sailing in such a storm was a case of poor judgment.
the actual state of things: That is not the case.
a question or problem of moral conduct; matter: a case of conscience.
a person or thing whose plight or situation calls for attention: This family is a hardship case.
a specific occurrence or matter requiring discussion, decision, or investigation, as by officials or law-enforcement authorities: The police studied the case of the missing jewels.
a stated argument used to support a viewpoint: He presented a strong case against the proposed law.
an instance of disease, injury, etc., requiring medical or surgical attention or treatment; individual affliction: She had a severe case of chicken pox.
a medical or surgical patient.
Law.
- a suit or action at law; cause.
- a set of facts giving rise to a legal claim, or to a defense to a legal claim.
Grammar.
- a category in the inflection of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, noting the syntactic relation of these words to other words in the sentence, indicated by the form or the position of the words.
- a set of such categories in a particular language.
- the meaning of or the meaning typical of such a category.
- such categories or their meanings collectively.
Informal. a peculiar or unusual person: He’s a case.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Which sentence is correct?
Idioms about case
get / be on someone’s case, Slang. to bother or nag someone; meddle in someone’s affairs: Her brother is always on her case about getting married. Why do you keep getting on my case?
get off someone’s case, Slang. to stop bothering or criticizing someone or interfering in someone’s affairs: I’ve had enough of your advice, so just get off my case.
have a case on, Slang. to be infatuated with: He had a case on the girl next door.
in any case, regardless of circumstances; be that as it may; anyhow: In any case, there won’t be any necessity for you to come along.
in case, if it should happen that; if: In case I am late, don’t wait to start dinner.
in case of, in the event of; if there should be: In case of an error in judgment, the group leader will be held responsible.
in no case, under no condition; never: He should in no case be allowed to get up until he has completely recovered from his illness.
Origin of case
1
First recorded before 1150; Middle English ca(a)s, from Anglo-French, Old French cas, from Latin cāsus “fall, accident, event, grammatical case” (translation of Greek ptôsis ), equivalent to cad(ere) “to fall” + -tus suffix of verb action; compare Old English cāsus “grammatical case”
synonym study for case
1. Case, instance, example, illustration suggest the existence or occurrence of a particular thing representative of its type. Case and instance are closely allied in meaning, as are example and illustration. Case is a general word, meaning a fact, occurrence, or situation typical of a class: a case of assault and battery. An instance is a concrete factual case which is adduced to explain a general idea: an instance of a brawl in which an assault occurred. An example is one typical case, usually from many similar ones, used to make clear or explain the working of a principle (what may be expected of any others of the group): This boy is an example of the effect of strict discipline. An illustration exemplifies a theory or principle similarly, except that the choice may be purely hypothetical: The work of Seeing Eye dogs is an illustration of what is thought to be intelligence in animals.
OTHER WORDS FROM case
caseless, adjectivecase·less·ly, adverb
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH case
encase, in case
Words nearby case
cascading style sheet, cascara, cascara sagrada, cascarilla, Casco Bay, case, casease, caseate, caseation, case bay, casebook
Other definitions for case (2 of 2)
noun
an often small or portable container for enclosing something, as for carrying or safekeeping; receptacle: a jewel case.
a sheath or outer covering: a knife case.
a box with its contents: a case of ginger ale.
the amount contained in a box or other container: There are a dozen bottles to a case.
a pair or couple; brace:a case of pistols.
a surrounding frame or framework, as of a door.
Bookbinding. a completed book cover ready to be fitted to form the binding of a book.
Printing. a tray of wood, metal, or plastic, divided into compartments for holding types for the use of a compositor and usually arranged in a set of two, the upper (upper case ) for capital letters and often auxiliary types, the lower (lower case ) for small letters and often auxiliary types, now generally replaced by the California job case. Compare news case.
a cavity in the skull of a sperm whale, containing an oil from which spermaceti is obtained.
Also called case card. Cards. the last card of a suit or denomination that remains after the other cards have been played: a case heart; the case jack.
Southeastern U.S. (chiefly South Carolina). a coin of a particular denomination, as opposed to the same amount in change: a case quarter.
Metallurgy. the hard outer part of a piece of casehardened steel.
verb (used with object), cased, cas·ing.
to put or enclose in a case; cover with a case.
Slang. to examine or survey (a house, bank, etc.) in planning a crime (sometimes followed by out): They cased the joint and decided to pull the job on Sunday.
to fuse a layer of glass onto (glass of a contrasting color or of different properties).
to cover (a surface of a wall, well, shaft, etc.) with a facing or lining; revet.
Bookbinding. to bind (a book) in a case.
Cards Slang.
- to arrange (cards or a pack of cards) in a dishonest manner.
- to remember the quantity, suit, or denomination of (the cards played).
Origin of case
2
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English cas, from Anglo-French cas(s)e, Old French chasse, from Latin capsa “cylindrical case for holding books in scroll form, receptacle”
OTHER WORDS FROM case
caser, nounwell-cased, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
MORE ABOUT CASE
What is a basic definition of case?
A case is an instance or example of something, a container for storing something, or a matter that is being investigated by law enforcement or official agents. Case has many other senses as a noun and a verb.
A case is something you can point to as an example of something. This sense of case is often used in reference to illness, such as a patient having a bad case of malaria.
Real-life examples: If you go out in a thunderstorm with an umbrella and a raincoat, that would be a case of good judgement. The stone Sphinx in Egypt is a case of the amazing building powers of the ancient Egyptians.
Used in a sentence: I had a minor case of food poisoning yesterday.
A case is also a box or container that is used to keep something safe. It is usually small and is often designed specifically for a particular item. Sometimes, another term is used with case to describe exactly what is supposed to be stored in the case, as in knife case.
Real-life examples: Guitars are often stored in guitar cases. Many people keep their eyeglasses in a glasses case. Smokers might have a cigarette case.
Used in a sentence: He tried to break into the jewelry case.
Lastly, a case is a matter or investigation that law enforcement or other officials are pursuing or working on. Detectives and other investigators are likely to be assigned or take on cases that they must research and try to find details about.
Real-life examples: Police detectives often get assigned murder cases, burglary cases, kidnapping cases, and many other cases that require investigation. The famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes pursued many interesting cases that required his amazing deductive skills.
Used in a sentence: The detective gathered clues while investigating the arson case.
Where does case come from?
The first records of case come from before the 1150s. The sense of case meaning “an instance” ultimately comes from the Latin cāsus, meaning “a befalling” or “an occurrence.” The sense of case meaning “a container” ultimately comes from the Latin capsa, meaning “a receptacle for books.”
Did you know … ?
How is case used in real life?
Case is a very common word that most often means an example or an instance.
A case of poor labelling has sparked another interstate wine battle between California and Oregon.
— Wine Searcher (@WineSearcher) March 1, 2019
Delhi: ANI journalist Joy Pillai was robbed by three men at gunpoint in Laxmi Nagar area when he was returning from work last night. «A case of robbery has been registered at Shakarpur Police Station,» say Delhi Police.
— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2020
When I see someone using an iPhone with no phone case, I become immediately stressed. Talk about living life on the edge!
— Jaclyn Hill (@Jaclynhill) June 25, 2018
Try using case!
Is case used correctly in the following sentence?
He forgot his keys at home in another case of bad memory.
Words related to case
crisis, event, fact, incident, problem, situation, state, instance, action, argument, cause, claim, dispute, evidence, lawsuit, litigation, petition, suit, trial, bag
How to use case in a sentence
-
In some cases, it’s people that didn’t even know they were sick.
-
The case stemmed from challenges to the state’s orders to close “non life-sustaining” businesses and to limit gatherings to 25 people indoors or 250 people outdoors.
-
Redfield said he expected a vaccine to start being available in November or December, with the first people to receive it being those with health problems that make them most vulnerable to a severe case or death if they are infected.
-
In the past, when I’ve discussed a case, unfortunately, that individual’s name was leaked to the media.
-
In each case, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden leads — by a wide margin in Minnesota and a narrow one in Wisconsin.
-
Certain features of its history suggest why this may be the case.
-
And, in the case of fluoride, at least, that doubt might actually be justified.
-
Her latest book, Heretic: The Case for a Muslim Reformation, will be published in April by HarperCollins.
-
Their friendship began when Krauss, who was chairman of the physics department at Case Western in Cleveland, sought out Epstein.
-
A grand juror in the Ferguson case is suing to be able to explain exactly what went down in the courtroom.
-
The case was an assault and battery that came off between two men named Brown and Henderson.
-
In this case, I suspect, there was co-operant a strongly marked childish characteristic, the love of producing an effect.
-
Sometimes in the case of large plants, cones have been known to occur on the tips of the branches of the Marsh Horsetail.
-
As a rule, however, even in the case of extreme varieties, a careful examination of the specimen will enable it to be identified.
-
Thus was the man left entirely to the devil, not even his life being reserved, as in the case of Job.
British Dictionary definitions for case (1 of 2)
noun
a single instance, occurrence, or example of something
an instance of disease, injury, hardship, etc
a question or matter for discussionthe case before the committee
a specific condition or state of affairs; situation
a set of arguments supporting a particular action, cause, etc
- a person attended or served by a doctor, social worker, solicitor, etc; patient or client
- (as modifier)a case study
- an action or suit at law or something that forms sufficient grounds for bringing an actionhe has a good case
- the evidence offered in court to support a claim
grammar
- a set of grammatical categories of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, marked by inflection in some languages, indicating the relation of the noun, adjective, or pronoun to other words in the sentence
- any one of these categoriesthe nominative case
informal a person in or regarded as being in a specified conditionthe accident victim was a hospital case; he’s a mental case
informal a person of a specified character (esp in the phrase a hard case)
informal an odd person; eccentric
US informal love or infatuation
as the case may be according to the circumstances
in any case (adverb) no matter what; anyhowwe will go in any case
in case (adverb)
- in order to allow for eventualities
- (as conjunction) in order to allow for the possibility thattake your coat in case it rains
- US if
in case of (preposition) in the event of
in no case (adverb) under no circumstancesin no case should you fight back
Word Origin for case
Old English casus (grammatical) case, associated also with Old French cas a happening; both from Latin cāsus, a befalling, occurrence, from cadere to fall
British Dictionary definitions for case (2 of 2)
noun
- a container, such as a box or chest
- (in combination)suitcase; briefcase
an outer cover or sheath, esp for a watch
a receptacle and its contentsa case of ammunition
a pair or brace, esp of pistols
a completed cover ready to be fastened to a book to form its binding
printing a tray divided into many compartments in which a compositor keeps individual metal types of a particular size and style. Cases were originally used in pairs, one (the upper case) for capitals, the other (the lower case) for small lettersSee also upper case, lower case
metallurgy the surface of a piece of steel that has been case-hardened
verb (tr)
to put into or cover with a caseto case the machinery
slang to inspect carefully (esp a place to be robbed)
Word Origin for case
C13: from Old French casse, from Latin capsa, from capere to take, hold
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for case
A grammatical category indicating whether nouns and pronouns are functioning as the subject of a sentence (nominative case) or the object of a sentence (objective case), or are indicating possession (possessive case). He is in the nominative case, him is in the objective case, and his is in the possessive case. In a language such as English, nouns do not change their form in the nominative or objective case. Only pronouns do. Thus, ball stays the same in both “the ball is thrown,” where it is the subject, and in “Harry threw the ball,” where it is the object.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with case
In addition to the idiom beginning with case
- case in point
also see:
- basket case
- get down to brass tacks (cases)
- have a case on
- in any case
- in case of
- in no case
- in the case of
- just in case
- make a federal case
- off someone’s back (case)
- open and shut case
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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Defenition of the word case
- The scientific application of a set of tools and methods to a software which is meant to result in high-quality, defect-free, and maintainable software products.
- A judicial examination and determination of issues between parties to action; whether they need issues of law or of fact. A judicial examination, in accordance with law of the land, of a cause, either civil or criminal, of the issues between the parties, whether of law or fact, before a court that has proper jurisdiction.
- Something that is representative of all such things in a group; an occurrence of something.
- One of several similar instances or events which are being studied and compared.
- (Grammar) An instance of grammatical case; a category of nouns, pronouns, or adjectives, specialized (usually by inflection) to indicate a particular syntactic relation to other words in a sentence.
- (Grammar) (uncountable) A set of grammatical cases or their meanings in a particular language collectively.
- A box that contains or can contain a number of identical items of manufacture.
- A piece of luggage that can be used to transport an apparatus such as a sewing machine.
- Large (usually rectangular) piece of luggage used for carrying clothes, and sometimes suits, when travelling.
- A piece of furniture, Constructios partially of transparent glass or plastic, within which items can be displayed.
- The outer covering or framework of a piece of apparatus such as a computer.
- In typography, the nature of a piece of alphabetic type, whether a “capital” (upper case) or “small” (lower case) letter.
- To place (an item or items of manufacture) into a box, as in preparation for shipment.
- To survey (a building or other location) surreptitiously, as in preparation for a robbery.
- The grammaticalic case in which a noun is used.
- A comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy.
- a portable container for carrying several objects; «the musicians left their instrument cases backstage»
- the actual state of things; «that was not the case»
- a statement of facts and reasons used to support an argument; «he stated his case clearly»
- a problem requiring investigation; «Perry Mason solved the case of the missing heir»
- a person requiring professional services; «a typical case was the suburban housewife described by a marriage counselor»
- a specific state of mind that is temporary; «a case of the jitters»
- look over, usually with the intention to rob; «They men cased the housed»
- the quantity contained in a case
- a glass container used to store and display items in a shop or museum or home
- put into a case
- nouns or pronouns or adjectives (often marked by inflection) related in some way to other words in a sentence
- an occurrence of something; «it was a case of bad judgment»; «another instance occurred yesterday»; «but there is always the famous example of the Smiths»
- a cover for a pillow; «the burglar carried his loot in a pillowcase»
- the enclosing frame around a door or window opening; «the casings had rotted away and had to be replaced»
- a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities); «a strange character»; «a friendly eccentric»; «the capable type»; «a mental case»
- enclose in, or as if in, a case «my feet were encased in mud.»
- a special set of circumstances; «in that event, the first possibility is excluded»; «it may rain in which case the picnic will be canceled»
- (law) a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy; «the family brought suit against the landlord»
- an enveloping structure or covering enclosing an animal or plant organ or part
- the outer covering or housing of something; «the clock has a walnut case»
- a person who is subjected to experimental or other observational procedures; someone who is an object of investigation; «the subjects for this investigation were selected randomly»; «the cases that we studied were drawn from two different communities»
- a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy; «the family brought suit against the landlord»
- bed linen consisting of a cover for a pillow; «the burglar carried his loot in a pillowcase»
- the housing or outer covering of something; «the clock has a walnut case»
- a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities); «a real character»; «a strange character»; «a friendly eccentric»; «the capable type»; «a mental case»
- enclose in, or as if in, a case; «my feet were encased in mud»
- a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy
- a portable container for carrying several objects
- bed linen consisting of a cover for a pillow
- (printing) the receptacle in which a compositor has his type, which is divided into compartments for the different letters, spaces, or numbers
- the enclosing frame around a door or window opening
- the housing or outer covering of something
- the actual state of things
- a statement of facts and reasons used to support an argument
- a problem requiring investigation
- a specific size and style of type within a type family
- an occurrence of something
- a person requiring professional services
- a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities)
- a person who is subjected to experimental or other observational procedures; someone who is an object of investigation
- a special set of circumstances
- a specific state of mind that is temporary
- enclose in, or as if in, a case
- look over, usually with the intention to rob
Synonyms for the word case
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- argument
- assignment
- basis
- box
- caseful
- casing
- causa
- cause
- character
- circumstances
- commission
- container
- court case
- crate
- defense
- display case
- eccentric
- encase
- enclosure
- event
- example
- folder
- glasses case
- grammatical case
- guinea pig
- holder
- indictment
- instance
- issue
- job
- justification
- lawsuit
- legal action
- litigation
- occurrence
- pencil case
- pillow slip
- pillowcase
- problem
- project
- rationale
- reason
- sample
- set of circumstances
- sheath
- shell
- showcase
- situation
- slip
- state of affairs
- subject
- suit
- task
- type
Similar words in the case
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- case
- case’s
- casein
- casein’s
- caseload
- caseload’s
- caseloads
- casement
- casement’s
- casements
- cases
- casework
- casework’s
- caseworker
- caseworker’s
- caseworkers
- casey
- casey’s
Meronymys for the word case
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- door
- doorway
- grandfather clock
- longcase clock
- room access
- threshold
- window
Hyponyms for the word case
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- baggage
- bastardy proceeding
- bicameral script
- billfold
- bit
- black letter
- bold
- bold face
- boldface
- boot
- box
- briefcase
- cardcase
- cartridge font
- charity case
- cigarette case
- civil suit
- class action
- class-action suit
- client
- clip
- compact
- constant-width font
- countersuit
- crate
- criminal suit
- dispatch box
- dispatch case
- fixed-width font
- font cartridge
- gear box
- gear case
- gearbox
- glasses case
- gothic
- gun case
- helvetica
- humiliation
- husk
- italic
- jacket
- kit
- letter case
- locket
- lorica
- luggage
- medullary sheath
- monospaced font
- moot
- mortification
- myelin sheath
- neurilemma
- neurolemma
- nominative
- nominative case
- notecase
- oblique
- oblique case
- pack
- package
- paternity suit
- patient
- piece
- pillbox
- pocketbook
- portfolio
- powder compact
- proportional font
- quiver
- raster font
- referral
- sack
- sans serif
- screen font
- shoe
- sleeve
- subject case
- theca
- time
- trophy case
- typewriter font
- unicameral script
- wallet
- watch case
- welfare case
- writing desk
Hypernyms for the word case
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- adult
- argument
- bed linen
- circumstance
- close in
- container
- containerful
- cover
- covering
- door
- enclose
- fact
- frame
- frame of mind
- framework
- framing
- grammatical category
- grownup
- happening
- housing
- human
- inclose
- individual
- inspect
- judicial proceeding
- legal proceeding
- mortal
- natural covering
- natural event
- occurrence
- occurrent
- pack
- person
- problem
- proceeding
- proceedings
- receptacle
- shut in
- somebody
- someone
- soul
- state of mind
- statement
- syntactic category
- type
Idioms for the word case
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- case study
- criminal case
- dative case
- genitive case
- in this case
- on a case-by-case-basis
- possessive case
See other words
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- What is bulletproof
- The definition of bug
- The interpretation of the word biased
- What is meant by best practice
- The lexical meaning backlog
- The dictionary meaning of the word background
- The grammatical meaning of the word attach
- Meaning of the word asset
- Literal and figurative meaning of the word go
- The origin of the word challenge
- Synonym for the word challenging
- Antonyms for the word change
- Homonyms for the word click
- Hyponyms for the word collaboration
- Holonyms for the word commitment
- Hypernyms for the word competency
- Proverbs and sayings for the word content
- Translation of the word in other languages committed